Natural discovery

Along the road side of Obachan's land grows a plant I knew little about, only that in its powder form it is yellow-orange in colour. I think the first thing that brought our attention to this plant was its beautiful, long lasting flower. I also didn't know what amazing medical benefits this plant can do for ones body. What is this marvelous plant? Have a think and try not to scroll down just yet...

It is in fact turmeric which is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial of the ginger family. It favors climates that are between 20-30 degrees, which is why it is a native to southeast India. It also grows well in Izu, which experiences mild temperatures during the year. Since we have a constant water flow from the nearby mountains our turmeric crop thrives well in its current position.

Health wise it is widely used in India to treat stomach and liver ailments and to heal sores and cuts, based on its antiseptic properties. I've also heard it helps with inflamed joints. Apart from this, I found it interesting to learn that it is also used to dye saris and Buddhist monks robes in India and Bangladeshi. Indian cuisine also uses turmeric in many of this delicious dishes. 

Here we unearthed one of our turmeric plants to find a healthy crop once we washed each piece.

We have sliced it, pickled it and used it in curries, which I am here to say is quite tasty. 

I've even experienced a turmeric latte, which was... well...interesting.

 We once placed its flower in the vase at Obachan's tomb stone and we were surprised to see it still thriving a couple weeks later when we visited. 

We will be propagating the rhizomes each year so that we can benefit from this amazing plant in the future. But first I need a hot onsen! It's starting to get colder here in little old Japan!